Re-Gathering Rock Bridge

Matt Evans

Posted May 27, 2020
Posted in:

As our country and local communities begin the process of re-opening, we believe the time has come for Rock Bridge to do the same. As we re-gather physically, we will continue to offer our Rock Bridge online and on-demand worship options. We believe this digital platform is an amazing opportunity for ministry and helping connect people to life in Christ.

We are also excited to begin a safe and slow resumption of physical worship gatherings.  Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will begin physically re-gathering as follows:

Sunday, June 7th (all campuses)

RBPM at 6:30 pm Thursday, June 4th (Dalton Campus)

**June’s First Wednesday will remain 100% online**

It is important to understand that there is no “one size fits all” approach in a situation such as this. What is best for each of us individually may not be best for all of us collectively.

For those of you who feel this re-gathering is too soon, please continue to access our online worship options for as long as you deem best and wise.  We also recommend Rock Bridgers who are medically vulnerable or at a higher risk for infection to stay with us online as well.

For those of you who are ready to re-gather, thank you for your patience, understanding, and trust in our church’s leadership. We know this has been a long, challenging and unprecedented season of social isolation from your church family.

As we move forward together, let’s keep the following things in mind:

We are ONE church.

What unifies us at Rock Bridge is not that we all agree on everything or that we all worship the same way, at the same time or in the same place.

In a season when the world is divided and seeks to demonize differences, let’s commit to being a church that reflects Christ and shares His enduring love with each other and the world.

We remain married to Jesus’ mission while we “date” our methods.

Our mission at Rock Bridge has never changed. However, we have changed and adapted our methods as our understanding of Scripture deepened, as our local context changed, as God’s providence opened doors, or as collective wisdom showed us a better way.

This recent season has been no different. We’ve remained committed to our mission of “being the church” even though our primary method and location of worship changed.

As we resume physical services things will be different than they were pre-COVID. You may not like or agree with every precaution we take; however, know this: everything we do will have been prayerfully thought-through.

So what will our physical services look like on June 7th and during the initial re-gathering phase?

Worship Services

  • We will practice social distancing and refrain from physical contact.
  • Seating will be arranged to ensure you can sit safely with your family and practice social distancing.
  • We will not be shaking hands or fist bumping. Air hugs and waves are perfect! Our Host Teams will continue to be helpful and hospitable with social distancing.
  • We will not pass an offering basket or hand out bulletins.

RBKids

  • There will be no RB Kids options at this time (no nursery, no age or grade level groups). Families can continue to worship together as they have been at home.

Service Times

  • Our services will be shorter to allow time for cleaning between services. Service times and locations may be different to allow for this.
  • Each Rock Bridge campus will share specific details about their local service times and locations.

Rock Bridge, let’s remember one final thing. It will be easy for us to focus on the when, the what, and the how of re-gathering. While those details are important, we won’t like or agree on all those things (and that’s okay).

At Rock Bridge, we’ve always agreed to keep the main thing the main thing and that means staying laser-focused on Jesus. This is why we worship, obey, and follow Him while seeking to help others know Him. He is everything. He is King.

So no matter what changes, no matter what happens, no matter what is lost never to return … if we have Him, we still have EVERYTHING!

“… everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

Philippians 3:8 {NLT}